Bye bye Astana?

iainf72
iainf72 Posts: 15,784
edited May 2009 in Pro race
Head of Kazak fed saying the Giro is going to be the last race the team do.

http://translate.google.ca/translate?u= ... n&ie=UTF-8
Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
«134567

Comments

  • HillClimber101
    HillClimber101 Posts: 149
    shame, they have some good riders (Excluding Lance Armstrong) and if other teams take them on the lesser rider will go, possobly. Then all levels will be effected, from pro to uk medum level
  • DavMartinR
    DavMartinR Posts: 897
    Bye bye Astana.

    Hello Mellow Johnny???
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    DavMartinR wrote:
    Bye bye Astana.

    Hello Mellow Johnny???

    Might not be wrong there...
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Not surprising. Millions of Euros for "Team America", when it was founded as "Team Vino".
    Time for another bit of rule bending from Mr Pat. :roll:
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • dave_1
    dave_1 Posts: 9,512
    edited May 2009
    I thought the UCI demanded a bank guarantee for the riders/staff salaries for the year ahead paid in full at the start of the year so as to make sure riders were not left high and dry mid season....
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKBacb2V ... ata_player
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    Here's the one you've all been waiting for:-
    Team Astana
    Final Giro selection:
    ARMSTRONG Lance
    BRAJKOVIC Jani
    LEIPHEIMER Levi
    POPOVYCH Yaroslav
    RUBIERA Chechu
    HORNER Chris
    MORABITO Steve
    NAVARRO Dani
    ZEITS Andrey

    A solitary Kazakh rider in the team is not a good sign, IMO.
    The writing is on the wall, not on a cheque.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Add thisinto the mix....
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • HillClimber101
    HillClimber101 Posts: 149
    where was alberto cantandor on that giro selection
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    So does this mean that after the Giro the team dispands?! Not very clear - more information on this would be good.

    At least Contador can be with a proper team this time where he is the undisputed leader and has a super team to work tirelessly for him.

    LA was 'under-prepared' all year and I for one didn't think he could do anything other than mediocore rides.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    HillClimber101 wrote:
    where was alberto cantandor on that giro selection

    ?? He's not riding the Giro.....
    I like bikes...

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  • GroupOfOne MkII
    GroupOfOne MkII Posts: 1,289
    No Kloden in the team either? Hmmm interesting, as he's been going quite well.
    "I would like to have a team all of my own. To be the owner, the sporting director and a cyclist," he said.

    Blimey, bit of a control freak! Why not be the soigneur and mechanic too.

    Interesting that he states "You will know more in July", which could either point to a press conference/announcement on a TdF rest day as has happened before, or (let the speculation begin) does he mean that Astana will be shutting post-Giro and a new team will be formed for the Tour, ie at the start of July.
  • pb21
    pb21 Posts: 2,171
    GroupOfOne MkII wrote:
    No Kloden in the team either? Hmmm interesting, as he's been going quite well.
    "I would like to have a team all of my own. To be the owner, the sporting director and a cyclist," he said.

    Blimey, bit of a control freak! Why not be the soigneur and mechanic too.

    Interesting that he states "You will know more in July", which could either point to a press conference/announcement on a TdF rest day as has happened before, or (let the speculation begin) does he mean that Astana will be shutting post-Giro and a new team will be formed for the Tour, ie at the start of July.

    Thats what I'm thinking.
    Mañana
  • Noodley
    Noodley Posts: 1,725
    GroupOfOne MkII wrote:
    Blimey, bit of a control freak! Why not be the soigneur and mechanic too.

    I am led to believe he'll be writing the theme tune and singing the theme tune.....
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    As you know, I tend to disbelieve most utterances from Mr Armstrong, but, in this case, with the Kazakhstan rumblings, it makes perfect sense.
    A control freak? Of course. Astana's end was always on the cards.
    Only one person dictates who rides in Lance's teams and it isn't Vino.

    However, things aren't a simple as they appear.
    Getting a sponsor, even for Big Tex, isn't easy.
    Remember, he struggled to get Discovery to commit, only with a false promise that he would ride until the sponsorship contract ended.
    He retired after one season. leaving the "Channel" with egg on it's face.
    Will a new sponsor trust him with $20 million of their credit crunched dollars?
    Bruyneel? Well, he failed miserably.

    Then there's the question of aquiring a PT licence. Bruyneel has "borrowed" the one he is currently using, from the Kazakhs.

    Enter Mr McQuaid and his formidable rule bending abilities.....
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • sicrow
    sicrow Posts: 791
    Blazing Saddles wrote:

    Enter Mr McQuaid and his formidable rule bending abilities.....

    Nowt new there then, so the Mellow Johnny Pro Tour team - NOW how to convince Prudholme
    http://www.action.org.uk/sponsor/simoncrowther
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    It'll be something like Google I'll bet

    What has given the turn around from "not being engaged" to wanting to own a team? Why is he looking like he is happy to take someones money now but didn't think he should have taken Larry Ellisons Oracle dollars?

    Perhaps because sans cycling Lance just isn't that interesting?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • missingmillar
    missingmillar Posts: 38
    Team Nike anyone?

    I know you can change sponsors mid-season (a la High Road last year) but not sure how much or the current management team has to be in place to maintain it's current license.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    missingmillar wrote:
    Team Nike anyone?

    I know you can change sponsors mid-season (a la High Road last year) but not sure how much or the current management team has to be in place to maintain it's current license.

    High Horse remain the license holders so there is no actual change there

    Nike is extremely unlikely as they don't sponsor team in other sports. Plus they were killing their cycling line, weren't they?
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • missingmillar
    missingmillar Posts: 38
    they're still a personal sponsor of Armstrrong though aren't they so any kit he will be wearing will be Nike. they also are one of the sponsors of the Livestrong U23 team so you never know.
  • micron
    micron Posts: 1,843
    And there was me naievely thinking that he had come back to ride one last time to raise 'cancer awareness'. :roll:
  • suspectdevice
    suspectdevice Posts: 263
    Surely Trek would pick up some of the tab, no one else will ride them so they will also lose out big time.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Well I said last year that I couldnt see Lance coming back to ride for Astana - I may have been half right in the end....

    Why not Team Livestrong ? Without LA - there wouldnt be a charity - and its not without precedent - ONCE was the Spanish blind charity ?

    I guess that could be a plan B if he fails to pull in a big sponsor anyway.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Dave_1 wrote:
    I thought the UCI demanded a bank guarantee for the riders/staff salaries for the year ahead paid in full at the start of the year so as to make sure riders were not left high and dry mid season....

    According to the report on feltet.dk, this money is already gone and they need to pay it back.

    They're flying on fumes! If they didn't pay, could the riders null their contracts? Contador would get a ride so easily....
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,711
    suspectdevice wrote:
    Surely Trek would pick up some of the tab, no one else will ride them so they will also lose out big time.

    I believe Trek have be putting the workforce on shortened hours, due to the Global recession, but I may be wrong.
    On the other hand, that might be what LA is hinting at, himself.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Clemson Cycling
    Clemson Cycling Posts: 49
    Even if the money is not there, LA could cut the crap salaries on the team (the Kazaks) and foot the bill for the rest of the season with Trek. This guy made over a $100 mill in his cycling career and is not hurting. Plus he is still worshiped as an cancer god here in mainstream American (by the people that do not following cycling on a consistent basis) and I do not think that he will have a hard time lining up some short term sponsors (Subaru, AMD, Nike, Oakley, Berry Floor, etc.) from his past for the rest of the season. He will have sponsor as long as he promises to be competitive at the Tour until he retires. Johan will be his wing man and they will be successful. As far a marketable athletes in the American market, Armstrong is right there with Woods.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,485
    iainf72 wrote:
    They're flying on fumes! If they didn't pay, could the riders null their contracts? Contador would get a ride so easily....
    Caisse d'Epargne will be needing a Tour contendor in a week or so...
  • andy_wrx
    andy_wrx Posts: 3,396
    If I only had three weeks more (preparation), it would have been different

    Yeah, he'd have been climbing breathing easily through his nose again...
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Clemson Cycling wrote:
    As far a marketable athletes in the American market, Armstrong is right there with Woods.

    He might be, but he's not as much of a draw considering no one in the US would stump up for the Giro rights, eh?

    The economic woes can't be under estimated. AMD just took their 10'th consecutive quarterly loss of around $400m, automotive industy ain't in a good place, Nike have exposure via individual sponsorship etc. Trek are rumoured to be suffering etc.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    Wonder if any big pharma would be interested. He is promoting cancer awareness, apparently.
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    DaveyL wrote:
    Wonder if any big pharma would be interested. He is promoting cancer awareness, apparently.

    A big one was mentioned a while ago but I thought someone was taking the mickey.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.

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